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Pit Bull Myths - Sad, MUST SEE watch!

youtube.com — It's sad that we live in a society where animals are blamed for their owner's behavior.

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  • mmazing, on 10/11/2007, -5/+49I've been bitten by 3 dogs in my life, and I still love em, and I still own many that would never hurt a fly. Dogs act how they are taught to act.
    • capiCrimm, on 10/11/2007, -19/+6have you ever been bitten by a kitten?

      Dogs < Cats
      • StudsTurkel, on 10/11/2007, -1/+28I've lost more blood to cats than to dogs.
        • capiCrimm, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5But that was love blood. Admit it. It felt good.
      • themastersb, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Yeah. I'm going to have to say my cats have bitten me and caused me to bleed more than any dog has
      • tincansandtwine, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Cheetahs = Cats
    • TubaTechno, on 10/11/2007, -2/+17Certain breeds still have genetic dispositions to certain characteristics. That being said, this movie is completely stupid. They're showing worst case scenarios and made up "myths" they can easily counter. Even experts agree that this breed is known to be dog aggressive and it cannot be trained out of them...according to Pit Bull Rescue Central

      It is a fact that our APBTs, ASTs and pit mixes come with a built-in fighting heritage. It doesn’t matter where we get them from, whether it be the pound, a stray we pick up, or a puppy we buy from a breeder. The majority of pit bulls will, at some point in their lives, exhibit some degree of dog-on-dog aggression. This type of animal aggression is completely separate from human-aggression; a well-socialized pit bull is very good-natured with people. Yet, chances are that a "normal" pit bull will not share his affection with other animals. We cannot predict when or where it will happen and we can’t love, train or socialize it out of the dog.

      http://www.pbrc.net/dogpark.html
      • kathaclysm, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9^Certain breeds still have genetic dispositions to certain characteristics.

        I hate to be breed-ist, but this is so true, and so many people don't pay attention to this when buying a dog/puppy they think is just so cute. And so dogs wind up in shelters because of "behavior problems" when all they're doing is what they've been bred for!

        Wolves have several main instincts; stalk, chase, kill, & retrieve. Most dogs we have as pets were bred to highlight one (or several) of these traits.

        Herding dogs stalk & chase, but don't don't have the instincts for kill or retrieve. Pointers will stalk. Retrievers will fetch. Etc.

        Terriers (of which, Pit Bulls are) of all sorts were bred to KILL other animals (rats, badgers, squirrels, other dogs, etc.) and it's next to impossible to train that sort of instinct out of a dog with thousands of years of breeding behind them.
    • le0pard, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I've been bitten by two dogs myself, a Rottweiler and a Great Dane. Both when I was much younger, however I've got the same mentality as you do and love all dogs. I couldn't agree with your comment any more.
  • valleyvideo, on 10/11/2007, -4/+39This is a tough video to get through, but I hope more watch. I spent a long time living in the Bay Area, where dog fighting is depressingly popular. We have a rotweiler-german shepherd mix that is the sweetest, most loving, and sensitive dog you've ever met, and we couldn't even take her for a walk in our neighborhood because strangers would approach us with their fighting dogs and try to start fights.
    • rhinopig, on 10/11/2007, -5/+16honestly, this is the first video, movie, or whatever that I've had to look away from since I was 13. Also I'm going to bed soon so I don't want the images haunting me but still, this is pretty disturbing.
    • Factionrider, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Carry a nightstick and if someone starts anything tell them to back the ***** off.
      • StudsTurkel, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Oh yea, a nightstick will really scare someone who fights dogs as a hobby. Get your conceal and carry permit and start protecting yourself and your family (the dog included.)
        • Jwoey, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Hiding a gun in your pocket doesn't protect you as much as being willing to walk away. Some will follow, most wont.
          • StudsTurkel, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Where the ***** are you from? Walk-away? Walking-away involves turning your back. Thugs will just smash you in the back of the head, take your wallet and leave your body.
          • Otto, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Why would you be hiding a gun? If you have a CCW, then the idea is to use the thing to defend yourself. If somebody tries to attack you, you pull it out and shoot them.

            Guns are for using, not for trying to scare people with.
          • mbolgian, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2That is the most truth I have heard regarding gun use in a long, long time. Don't ever buy a gun if you intend to just scare someone with it; most likely it will be taken away from you and used on YOU. If I ever pull a weapon on someone, I'm already committed to pulling the trigger if necessary, if they force my hand any further. I have had to take a life with a gun, and I have nearly had my life taken with a gun, so I've been on both sides of the fence; neither side is where you want to be. I'm still fighting my demons from those experiences. I don't think I will truly ever be what one would call 'normal', at least mentally.

            It's hard to say what a criminal will do when faced with a gun. The ones you have to worry about are the truly insane; the ones who can't separate right from wrong, fiction from reality.
    • tmarcV2, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2yeah yeah I'll admit it, I was teetering on the edge of a tear or two
    • cleric85, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7Impossible for me too watch. I'd rather watch an adult human suffer. At least we can fight back and know the difference. These poor ***** dogs are people's pawns.
  • mmazing, on 10/11/2007, -1/+58You have to understand how dogs work. They operate on a pack mentality. When someone raises a dog, they see the dog owner as the pack leader, and they do their best to follow what they think their pack leader wants from them.

    It makes me SICK to think that there are people out there that could possibly realize this, and exploit it for their own benefit, they take a completely innocent creature, teach it that the correct action is to fight, and it ends up dead. They move on. You might as well be a ***** serial killer if you can't feel any shame in that.
    • norman619, on 10/11/2007, -5/+1I somewhat agree with you but equating the killing of animals to killing people is a bit much
      • mmazing, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Haha, sure, if that's exactly what I meant. I really meant more along the lines of - no conscience.
    • frostieDude, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1You are correct that killing an animal is not the same as killing a person, but often people who are really sick killers start by abusing animals.
  • rayyy, on 10/11/2007, -4/+13Thanks for the great video.
  • monkeyball0101, on 10/11/2007, -8/+30So f'ing true. Doggies are so awesome, it sux so many have to use them in place of a larger penis...
  • grungegbunny, on 10/11/2007, -3/+28I too have been bitten by a pitbull as a child, but I know it is not their fault.
    There is no such thing as a bad dog, just bad owners.
  • Magillicutti, on 10/11/2007, -2/+46There are few people in this world that disgust me more than people who fight dogs.
  • LonnyQ, on 10/11/2007, -4/+8i couldn't finish watching the video
    • blazerin05, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3I can sympathize, but the best and happiest parts are at the end of the vid, lots of pics with happy pits and their families.
    • fowleryo, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4i couldn't make it half way.
    • TubaTechno, on 10/11/2007, -6/+1I couldn't watch it because of all the made up "myths" in which they created a straw man argument.
  • pilotss, on 10/11/2007, -4/+12If these dogs are not bread to fight then why don't they use greyhounds or other dogs to fight. Having worked in a shelter I could show just as many dogs in the same condition. There is a reason you don't see chows in a fight ring.
    • 1Cycopath, on 10/11/2007, -9/+4Are you stupid? There's a reason you don't see 90 pound techie geeks in an MMA cage too. It's because people don't like to lose. You put a chow in a ring and he's gonna get eaten.
    • Vitaliy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7American Bulldogs, Presa Canarios, Dogo Argentinos, Gull Terriers, Boston Terriers, Tosas, are all fighting breeds. In various Eastern European countries there is a preference for large common dogs to fight such as Rottweilers, Caucasian Ovcharkas, and other common larger dogs with protection and working origins. It's just that the United States adopted the smaller fighting terriers and Bulldogs from Europe where smaller and more agile dogs were preferred for a fight because they make the fights much longer and "entertaining" than larger Mastiff counterparts.
    • Jwoey, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1Because their jaws aren't strong enough?
    • brstilson, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13They're used in fights because of the mythology surrounding them. It's a psychological edge for the pit bill owner because of their reputation for being the fiercest dogs in existence. So of course, being a status symbol, all the fighting dog owners get pit bulls.

      The Rotweiller and Doberman breeds also suffer this stigma. Dogs/Wolves were the first animals to form a relationship with us humans, they have the strongest ties to us and are truly our best friends in the animal kingdom. It sickens me to see people take advantage of that friendship at the expense of a dog's life.
    • pilotss, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7correct and due to this fighting they have over the years been bred for their aggressiveness. Just as geryhounds have been noticed for their speed and bred for it.
    • TubaTechno, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8I like how brstillson totally ignores the genetic aspect of the way some of these "fighting breeds" are built and suggests it's just "stigma" and "mythology". They are built for fighting. Plain and simple. It's genetic. You cannot train dog-on-dog aggressiveness completely out of these breeds.

      http://www.pbrc.net/dogpark.html
    • notlenny2, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0I've known a lot of pitbulls and I'll tell ya, a Chow IS more of an aggressive dog than most pitbulls. But fighting with any dog is despicable.
  • Rivsklaar, on 10/11/2007, -2/+34My fiancee was a vet tech at a shelter for a while, and the local Animal Control Officer was hospitalized one day for being attacked by what the ACO said were three pit bulls. When my fiancee got there to get the animals from the owner, they were golden retrievers. Ignorance runs deep, even to the people who are supposed to know these things as part of their jobs...
    • frostieDude, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Yeah, the owner put his fighting dogs away and handed over the golden retrievers.
  • Jazzillion, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7Everything boils down to conditioning whether it is a Pit bull puppy, a bald eagle, or a human child. Violent nature breeds violent nature. The world needs a more positive and loving perception.
    • btgoss, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Good comment. Of course over coming the culture that promotes this type of activity is virtually impossible.
      • TubaTechno, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Considering millions of dollars are made for humans doing the same thing each other and yet allowing dog to do it is outlawed.....
    • chopcow, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Excellent point. It's kind of like Roy from "Siegfried and Roy". That lion was just poorly trained. ;)
  • jcastillo81, on 10/11/2007, -9/+3Pit Bulls are awesome. You can't ban a breed, but if you manage to do it then some other breed will just take the place of "fighting dog".

    I hope I can adopt a rescued pit bull someday.
    • dixonHill, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Actually, apparently you can ban a breed. The province of Ontario recently banned Pit Bulls. All existing pits had to be spayed/neutered, and anyone taking one out for a walk is required to put a muzzle on them. Sadly, no similar treatment is required for the moronic owners who either have no clue how to manage a powerful breed, or worse, actively encourage their dogs to be aggressive.

      I agree with you 100% that another breed will just take the place of the pit bull as the preferred "fighting dog", because it's really not the breed of the canine that's at issue here; it's the breeding of the two-footed animal at the other end of the leash.

      Anyone who thinks Pit Bulls can't be taught to control their aggression, should watch a few dozen episodes of The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Milan has a large pack of dogs, many of which are Pit Bulls and other powerful breeds, but all of whom behave just fine because he knows how to control them. It's about being a responsible pack leader.
    • profOblivion, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4"You can't ban a breed"

      Unfortunately, you're wrong. Several areas in Canada and Europe, for example, have had bans in place for several years.

      http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/03/01/pit-bull-ban050301.html
  • Neiby, on 10/11/2007, -5/+12I and my family have had several pit bulls over the years and they are just the BEST dogs. Very non-aggressive and very loving. My brother had a really big male that was a total baby and just loved people, especially kids. He wouldn't have hurt a fly and he wouldn't bite anyone, even when playing roughly. In fact, one time (unknown to us at the moment) a friend's toddler bit the tip of the dog's ear off--actually took a small chunk out!--and the dog did not bite back.

    And you're telling me this is a dangerous breed? Absolute *****. They are amazing dogs. You couldn't ask for a better family pet, especially if you have kids. Believe me, we've owned a lot of other breeds, as well. Poodles and cocker spaniels are more aggressive than pit bulls.
  • Ninnux, on 10/11/2007, -3/+8bred =! bread
    bread = food

    I've seen a dog fight, and it was extremely depressing. Not so much for the violence, but for the people who enjoyed the fight. Same with ***** fights. Same with taiso (preying mantis) fights.
    • pilotss, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1oops
    • TritonX, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I agree it's cruel for superior animals to fight, but preying mantis... I don't think they can feel pain.
      • bashar129, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Yeah, anything that would let it's spouse munch on it's head mid coitous can probably take a couple of bruises from a fight.
    • theanticrust, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3pray != prey
      prey = food

      :)
  • Jazzillion, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6@pilotss...

    These dogs are bred (not bread) to fight, that is the problem. The message is that if they were not bred to fight they would be less likely to develop an aggressive nature. Greyhounds are skinny quick agile dogs with narrow heads, they don't have muscular builds and thick skulls. Greyhounds can be bred to be aggressive just like anything else can be.
  • brstilson, on 10/11/2007, -4/+5I almost cried at that. It makes me want to adopt a pit bull
  • fishandring, on 10/11/2007, -9/+8I agree that dog fighting is immoral and disgusting, but I can tell you no matter how hard you try you cant take the pit out of a pitbull.

    I've seen them pounce on a situation by misreading it. I've seen horrible scars on children that I knew personally simply because they went to play at the neighbors next door. I've had friends who had pitbulls and raised them to be friendly dogs, yet they still killed the neighborhood cats and bit so hard on a visitors tire that they caused a flat. Pit bulls are not safe and are NOT family dogs.
    • brstilson, on 10/11/2007, -6/+2Thank you for that useless anecdote which proves nothing.
    • TubaTechno, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7kind of like the other useless anecdotal evidence suggesting the opposite opinions?
    • dixonHill, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Raising a dog to be "friendly" is not the point. Many dogs act friendly in their own homes, even around infants, etc., but turn vicious outside, primarily because they believe they need to protect their families.

      Virtually any dog, regardless of breed, will behave properly both inside and outside of the home, if they are led by a strong pack leader, i.e. an owner who makes it clear that they are in charge, and that aggressive behaviour is not going to be tolerated.

      The difference with Pit Bulls, and other powerful breeds, is simply the potential for serious consequences if they are not kept under control: they are much more powerful than the average dog, so they can do more damage. Owning a powerful breed, such as a Pit Bull, requires much more diligence on the part of the owner to understand canine pack mentality, and to remain in charge at all times.

      Again, I strongly recommend dog owners regularly watch The Dog Whisperer to see how it should be done. (I know it sounds like I'm a shill for the National Geographic Channel, but really I'm not! I just like the show!)
  • nismerf, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4I don't own a pit bull, I own shih tsus. Very hard to comment on this, harder to watch. Thank you.
  • mateo60, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9holy *****. I got about 20 seconds in and couldn't finish it. =(
  • axiomflash, on 10/11/2007, -6/+18Owner behavior obviously plays a huge role, but Pit Bulls and other bully dogs are BRED to have aggressive behavior and have been for hundreds of years. When a pit bull is generally aggressive you can usually assume it is the fault of the owner, but when a nice pit bull snaps and latches onto the jugular of your 4 year old that is instinct and no amount of training is going to stop that.
    • masterdbugger, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7It always seems that the general default is "It's the owners fault." It usually is. But there have been many news stories about pit bulls, rots, etc. Snapping for no reason, and the owners ALWAYS say, "She was like our baby, never would hurt a fly," and such. It's okay to own one in my opinion, just always be wary that it could snap.
      • StudsTurkel, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3Of course they say that, do you think they want to be sued for raising a dangerous animal?
    • xenuxenuts, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Hold the owners accountable for any damage by the dog. If a person is killed, try the owner as if they had committed 2nd degree murder. If you don't want that risk, don't own the dog.
  • thentro, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6In MN, Rep. John Lesch is proposing to ban Akitas, Chows, Pitbulls, Rottweilers, and wolf-hybrids from the state. Of course, there is no mention of how to define those breads or why those are "bad" dogs while others are not. Sign the petition here to help stop this useless amount of suffering to dogs and dog owners!
    http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/minnesotabreedban/

    Or contact Mr. Lesch here:
    http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?district=66A
  • sedo1800, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7that was so sad. people that fight dogs should ALL be shot. This is messed up beyond words. I just had to put my 1yo beagle down because she would bite... That right an aggressive snoopy. Pit Bulls are great dogs, but the people that fight them ***** up. I was thinking about adopting another dog and now I want a pit bull.
  • Yokohamalion, on 10/11/2007, -12/+5Kill em all I say. Pitbulls suck. Ive never met one i liked. They have been bred for aggression pure and simple. They are a loaded gun and should be treated as such; either illegal or locked away.
    • Ryohei, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4You sir, are an iggnorant cockbag. You have never met my pitbull. If he was aggresive enough for me to order him to kill you I would. But alas, he is to docile.
      • mbolgian, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1You just demonstrated perfectly why people like Ryohei hate pitbull owners like yourself. The mentality you guys have.
        • csw1342, on 02/20/2008, -0/+1What that we love our animals more than ignorant humans?? If my dogs had the balls to attack i wouldn't let them. I would rather shoot a person myself then risk my dogs being put down.
  • Ninnux, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9Although, to be fair to all parties, these dogs were bred for combat...many lines are...and all are descendants of wolves, which are extremely ferocious.
    • frostieDude, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I used to own a dog that was a wolf-german shepard hybrid. He was the nicest dog I've ever owned. Totally nice, gentle dog. 25% grey wolf. (I didn't know he was a wolf until after we adopted him.)
      He was very intelligent and loving. Great with children.
  • Mark_DeRidder, on 10/11/2007, -0/+22People who organize or support (watch) dog fights should all go to jail for life. It's disgusting, and disturbing. What souless bastards, I wish the dogs would attack THEM.
  • vhauri, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5@fishandring

    I'm not sure how you can reconcile that your friends had 'friendly' dogs that bit all manner of things, but my dogs lick the neighborhood cats and don't bite tires (that's just plain weird). So, I would say pit bulls are safe, but I agree that they're not good family dogs. Children scare easily and will provoke a dog (either into attacking OR playing), regardless of its training, and the physical size and innate strength of the pit will cause it to hurt the child. In fact, I use that as an excuse to prevent my friends who are parents from bringing their annoying kids over to scream in my ears.
  • basacis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2That just sucks. I really don't even know what to say I couldn't watch all of it. Freaking horrible
  • stigma15, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6"Dogs act how they are taught to act"
    I would say that is a gross generalization. Dogs are animals that don't have the reasoning ability of highly-evolved primates such as us. They can be trained and disciplined, but they will not hesitate to act on instinct if they deem it necessary for survival. Can you even say that "kids act how they are taught to act"?


    • mmazing, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I actually completely agree with you, but you are thinking about this the wrong way.

      Humans have reasoning and are intelligent, but do you think you could ever find a person that would roll around on the ground at your command? "Kids act how they are taught to act" is not a parallel to "dogs act how they are taught to act".

      My whole point is, when dogs see people as their pack leader, and are given everything they need (food/nurture), they will respond correctly as being lower on the totem pole in the pack. I know that this isn't exactly a concise breakdown of how dogs think and function, but I think you just need to do some more research on how dogs are trained.

      Would I be wrong to guess that you've never actually owned a dog that required training beyond knowing where to pee when you take it outside?
      • TritonX, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1"but do you think you could ever find a person that would roll around on the ground at your command?"
        Yes
        Everyone have their price, animals can be trained with food and shelter, to train humans, we use money.
  • nemesisrobot, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6I think i'm gonna get myself a pit bull.
  • Ryohei, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Make sure you watch to the end it is not all bad. But it did bring a tear to my eye.
    My first introduction to a pitbull was when a neighbor let his out of the car at the same time I got out. He ran right up to me, and wagged his tail. Shortly after that I had a new friend, Chino, and his owner wasn't so bad either. I have this dog to credit for introducing me to 3 of my best friends and 2 room mates, among many other things. Recently at I have him to thank for my own buddy Batou, he is the most docile dog I have ever met, he loves people and would never hurt him. You can even play very rough with him, get him to growl and snarl, and all bought offer your hand to him and he will not bite. I have been looking all over hell and I will post if I ever find but I have about 5 min of footage of my friend's 2 year old girl sitting in front of a dog food bowl with an 8 year old male pit, a 6 month old male pit, and a 4 year old boston terrier (the one most likely to nip or bite), and she feeds each of the a single piece of food one at a time and over and over again. Never even gets nipped. These are some of the best dogs in the world, until you have met one don't judge based on a media induced frenzy.
    @vhauri Actually they are great dogs, I have had many friends with pits and children, even newborns. Many of my friends still bring their children to my house and I DO NOT put my dogs up or out for anyone. They have no problems wth my dogs and all the children have been taught how to tell the dogs down and back. I have even seen a child climb on a pitbull's back (not even the family's dog at that) pinch and bite, ears and flesh. The dog simple stood up, moved, and laid back down.
  • gabrielg01, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11Pit bulls have great personalities, but as with any dog they can still bite people occasionally. The problem is that pit bulls have the equipment to really hurt people more than other breeds. If you had the choice of choosing between two bad scenarios, would you be bitten by spaniel or by a pit bull?...
    • Homunculiheaded, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5This is something I think a lot of people don't understand. I don't think pit bulls are mean dogs, but they are very, very powerful dogs (much more powerful than many varieties of dog larger than them). I don't believe the breed should be banned, but it should be regulated, just like other large powerful animals. Large cats(lynx and larger) can be very nice but because they're powerful one mistake and they can cause serious harm, so the species are regulated. Same with large snakes. All animals make mistakes, my little cat scratches me all the time, but if he was 10x as large I would probably have suffered serious injury. Just like all other larger/potentially dangerous animals, not just anybody should be able to own one. Regulation would help pitbulls and people.
  • vhauri, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11"Kill em all I say." "They have been bred for aggression pure and simple."

    Whereas you, my friend, have clearly accepted peace and love in your heart. Because you're probably too ignorant to understand, that was sarcasm.
  • john2kx, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I have a neighbor who has owned a pitbull since it was a puppy, and it's changed my perception of pitbulls.. He grew up with another older dog (i'm not sure of the breed), and he's extremely sweet and very playful and loves everybody..

    I'm completely confident that people get the wrong impression of pitbulls because dogs develop a personality that depends on how their owners raised them.. If you raise a pitbull to be agressive, then of course it will be dangerous, and that's compounded by the fact that it's a powerful dog.
  • tazamore, on 10/11/2007, -5/+15Pit breeds are sweet and gentle 95% of the time but when they go beserk it's like a bomb going off. The news footage of such incidents as always the same: the dazed owner wondering why their sweet dog suddenly snapped and bit Aunt Emma's face off. Pit owners should be required to be certified and licensed as if they're carrying a gun.

    Animal fighters should be arrested and forced to work a full unpaid year at an animal rescue shelter.
  • ic0n, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3While I realize that I can digg this, I won't since I don't like it. I almost forgot there was a bury button.
  • rmeddy, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2(Im going to get buried for this),i feel sorry for the dogs and all but there is not much needed with respect to aggression , terriers are inherently agressive , and the penchant for abuse is too easy, or I should say it's too there is a reason that they are popular in underground circuits , this video is very informative but those are likely to trip very suddenly and that's I don't trust them.
  • jsmucker, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3This is so ***** sad. I own a pit mix and this dog is the nicest dog you would ever met. she will kiss u to death maybe. she is 10 now met over a hundred people and never ever been mean. I also have a lab mix that is a very grumpy dog.but people are scared or the pit when they should be afraid of the lab.
  • Chris1280, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4I couldn't care less about shock videos. For god sake people try and make a point without just trying to make people cry. Its civil and doesn't try and make a point by showing something horrific, its the same with Africans because I personally don't want to see them dying just to make me pay up because if I was going to I would do it anyway. ( Zomg hides before I get dugg down and flamed )
    • Tayls, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1But Africans aren't cute, though! Sorry, that's pretty bad, but we're all thinking it.
  • vhauri, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@Tazamore

    I appreciate your stance here, and I understand you're trying to bridge both sides of a pretty contentious issue, but I disagree with your standpoint on the media. As someone mentioned earlier, no one is going to say their pit bull has been snapping at people for years, because then they'll be sued. That's also why parents of kids that shoot up schools claim they never saw it coming, so they don't have to take responsibility. I would suggest that maybe the same lack of responsibility shown AFTER the dog bit is there while the dog is being trained by the person, hence the dog's penchant for biting and snapping. Keep in mind, the dog can't tell its side of the story, and the news cameras aren't there for its whole life, just the 20 minutes after it bites someone. So I would propose the following question: What reason could you possibly have to trust the owner?

    About your proposed punishment, I admire your sentiment, but doesn't it seem that putting people who fight dogs near a bunch of stressed-out dogs might not be the best idea?
  • vbsurfer, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2It's too trendy to get a pit bull these days though. I can look at certain stereotypes and guess what dog they have instantly. The last time I was bit by a dog was by a pit bull.
  • cleric85, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4A dog knows the difference between someone tripping over them and being kicked.
  • EarthAndStars, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5Pit Bulls can be aggressive, but that isn't the main problem. The real problem is that they are so very strong and deadly. If a cocker spaniel bites a child there is a good chance for a child to live. If a pit bull does the same thing the odds are greater that the child will die. It's the same reason we don't allow civilians to have 100 pound napalm bombs, but will allow them to have some fireworks. It is unlikely that a string of black cats will kill you, but 100 pounds of explosives will. These dogs are "big bombs" waiting to go off when given to the wrong people, or in the wrong situation. If we can limit and track guns given to people, we can limit and track what kind of dogs are given to people.
    • mmazing, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Totally agree. It's bad owners that are the problem.

      On a similar but distant note - I am moving apartments in a few months, and the new place does not allow dogs in any form. This is understandable, I'm sure they have had owners that do not give enough attention to their pets, and they end up shredding large sections of carpet, or generally making the entire house smell like urine. However, lol, I am a very experienced dog handler, and I can't seem to get it across to these people that this will not be the case with me. (My current dog is the 6th generation of a line of dogs that has been in my family for about 35 years. Loved from birth to death.) This is obviously not a dog that is going to go uncared for. Anyway, blanket rules and laws are silly, /endrant.
  • bdonnellan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8I've worked in the news business for 20 years. At least 80% of the dog attack reports we receive from law enforcement are pit bulls, purebred or not. "That's because only the pit bull attacks get reported." Not true. We've actually done the research, looked through the police records, and again, pit bulls are overwhelmingly the breed with the most reported attacks. Not bites, but violent attacks of other animals or people. I frequently hear from pit bull advocates claiming we show bias against the breed. We report the facts. The bias comes from those who blindly support animals whose DNA was modified through breeding to be aggressive fighters. That's not a myth, it's a fact. People who fight dogs for fun are evil. People who take pictures of pit bulls snuggled up with children and infants are distorting the truth. They are also taking a risk with their children's' safety.
    • mmazing, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2First, I would like you to elaborate on what your actual background is, and where you actually got your data.

      80% seems very out of range, given the number of breeds of dogs that are out there.

      Not to say that it isn't possibly true, I am not a "pit bull" zealot, but I do believe that if raised and trained properly, any breed can be a loving, unaggressive dog.

      However, I think your research was probably over a very small area, and is probably statistically insignificant. For instance, I have been bitten by 3 different dogs in my life, none of which were pit bulls, does that mean that 0% of dog attacks are from pit bulls? Of course not.

      Anyway, post some facts and change my mind.
    • octoquake, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2so your experience with pitbulls attacking people qualifies you to tell any pitbull owner that they are putting their family at risk?
      get over yourself, just because youve encountered the attacks doesnt make the entire breed violent.
  • Laqrhead, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5I owned a dog that was part pitbull. He was also part rottweiler and boxer. All considered by many to be aggressive breeds. When my daughter was about a year old, she would sit on his head, pull his ear and poke him in the eye, and he didn't even flinch. He just sat that and took the abuse because he was so gentle (I didn't allow the eye poking, it just happened). He ran away once and we couldn't get him back from the pound because he was "aggressive" and they "euthanized" him. My daughter cried for years about how she missed him.
  • OneAndOnlySnob, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yeah, I managed to get through about 4 seconds of that. Dog fighting is one of the most disgusting things ever.
  • thentro, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4The problem with "PitBulls" is that it becomes a catch all name for scary-looking-dog.

    For example, can you find the real pitbull here?
    http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
  • BurntHombre, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Well, I must say that these pictures of anthropomorphized Pit Bulls nuzzling handicapped kids have really persuaded me. I was doing my best to come up with a rational rebuttal, but the picture of the Pit Bull praying to God sealed the case with airtight logic.
  • taylorblue, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3i think its great to put the awareness out there...pit bulls can be great animals!
  • Helois, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I used to work in a boarding kennel called Aalkuhmhurst, its in dover england. I don't know if its the same as usa here but when a pitbull came in the owner had to have a dangerous dog licence. The dog was lovely alot of other staff would send him out into his concreate run and hit the switch to lock him out while they did anything inside his kennel, it was completly un needed.

    I got injured a total of 5 times int wo years working there once was a German shepered police dog, one was a cat that scratch my eye when i tried to get it into its carrier, once was a rabbit who tried to get out of my hands when i was putting it in its carrier and scratched all my wrist (***** rabbits) , Another was a Chow (didnt really do any damage) and the last one was a Border Collie who bit me in the face suddenly when i was drying him with a blow-dryer.

    The pitbull was a lovely dog way to much stigma attached no one has any problems with him and he was not liek some dogs (obsessed with the dogs next door) in my opinion the fact that it was a pitbull put many of my colegues off completly it was sad.
  • Haydeng, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Everyone who says the dogs aren't agressive needs to look at the facts. Up untill recently, there weren't many people with "pet" pits. Pit Bulls were only bred to fight, so if there is a gentle one (the one in the video that "wouldn't train fast enough") the breeders would kill it. Agressive genes are the only ones that got passed down because of that, thus making most pit bulls agressive. While thre are still some exceptions to this, they are not very common. Before my girlfriend was born, her brother was three years old and he got attacked by a pitbull that wasn't raised to fight. The dog killed him even though he did nothing to provoke it. That's not agressive though, is it?
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